County BOE official: Low voter turnout expected

TROY >> There is an expected low turn out at the polls today, according to the Rensselaer County Board of Elections.

“I’m expecting a very low turn out,” said Ed McDonough, the county’s Democratic commissioner. “With the government shutdown, I think that had an affect on people and now they’re frustrated with those in elected office. That is the impression I’m getting from interviews I’m hearing in the media and from talking to people.”

Republican commissioner Larry Bugbee felt that today would be the same as several years ago, but he was not expecting a huge turn out county-wide.

With heated issues in communities like Grafton and Hoosick, decent numbers are expected there but not so much in areas like Nassau and Schaghticoke.

“I’d be surprised if we get 55,000 to 60,000 voters throughout the county,” said McDonough.

McDonough felt, however, that people would especially be coming out in the city of Troy due to some of the contentious races. He noted there were a lot of mailers, TV commercials, and robocalls this year.

As for their own office in the county building, until this past week, the Board of Elections had not been very busy with questions but they felt that TV commercials in recent days likely drummed up queries.

“Monday we were at the counter all day long,” McDonough said.

They both felt that statewide proposition one dealing with casinos would see the most votes in the county.